Electrical switch gear



Sept. 1, 1931. c. H. HILL ELECTRICAL SWITCH GEAR Filed Sept. 29, 1930 Fig.2.

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Patented Sept. 1, 1931 ti "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES H. BILL, OF DBEXEL HILL, PENNSYLVANIA, .ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL 7 i ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK ELECTRICAL SWITCH GEAR Application filed September 99, 1930.

My invention relates to electrical switch" gear and, more particularly to valve structure for controlling a normal gas venting connection between each of the housings of a plurality of circuit breaker units and a common gas exhaust conduit.

During the normal operation of switches adapted to interrupt large amounts of power, as oil circuit breakers, the generation of quan- 10 tities of gases by the action of the are on a the arc extinguishing medium necessitates some method of gas venting and pressure relief in order to prevent combustion of the gases formed within the breaker housing and for protecting the housing from high stresses. Furthermore, the gas which greatly reduces the dielectric strength of air may cause flashover or arcing to ground if permitted to come in contact with adjacent electrical apparatus. When the circuit breakers are located in an enclosed switch house or station a con- 1 venient arrangement for venting the individual breaker housings comprises a gas exhaust conduit common to all of the breakers exhausting exteriorly of the station or where the gases are rendered harmless, the circuit breakers being arranged in a row parallel to the exhaust conduit. In such an arrangement the breakers when in operative position are individually connected to the exhaust conduit so that the gasesgenerated within a given breaker housing during normal operation thereof may fiow from the housing into the exhaust conduit, and upon removal of the "i circuit breaker to its inoperative position where it is disconnected with respect to the exhaust conduit, the connection to that breakor is closed so that gases vented into the exhaust conduit from other breakers shall not enter the switching station by ,way. of the aforesaid connection.

By normal gas venting is meant the removal of comparatively small quantities of gas at low pressure from the switch housing r u I l during interruption of normal amounts of power as contrasted with emergency venting, thatis, the immediate relief of very high pressure suddenly generated within the breaker housing, as during the interruption of a heavy short circuit or other reasons causing Serial No. 484,984.

the rapid generation of gases. The emergency vents may be independently connected to the exhaust conduit as by means of blowout diaphragm members responsive to excess pressure and are not involved in the present invention. My invention is particularly applicable to normal venting of gases, but may be used in connection with emergency venting.

An object'of my invention is to provide a valve structure and connection for each of the housings of a plurality of circuit breaker units for venting the gases from each breaker housing into a common exhaust conduit when the breaker unit is in operative position and for preventing exhaust of gas from other breaker housings through said connection when said breaker unit has been moved to inoperative position.

In accordance with my invention. a plurality of circuit breaker units of the type adapted to be moved bodily between the connected and disconnected positions respectively are each provided with means communicating with the interior of the housings for coacting with individual valve structures in the common exhaust conduit, the valves being so arranged that the movement of a breaker unit to its connected or operative position causes opening of the valve and places the interior of the breaker housing in communication with the conduit. and reverse movement of the breaker to its disconnected or inoperative position causes closing of the valve to seal off theexhaust conduit with respect to the exterior at that point.

My invention will be more fully set forth in the following description referring to the accompanying drawings, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a fragmentary elevational view of a circuit breaker unit embodying my invention in the disconnected or inoperative position thereof; F ig. 2 is a view of the unit in the connected or operative position thereof; Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of the valve structure in the closed position shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a similar view of the valve structure in the open or operative poistion as in a row, the circuit breaker of each unit ing elevated by suitable mechanism to connect with the busses and feeders which are mounted and immersed in oil in metal compartments at the top of the unit. A complete understanding of my invention may be gained from the description of a single unit, it of course being apparent that similar units may readily be arranged side by side, the busses and other electrical connections interconnecting the units being joined in any suitable manner.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the circuit breaker tank or housing 1 of the unit which is mounted with respect to the upright frame 2 is provided with suitable elevating mechanism (not shown) for causing a vertical movement of the breaker with respect to its frame. The busses and feeders (not shown) are suitably disposed in the upper metal compartment 3 and are connectedto the stationary plug contacts 4 which are arranged within the cylindrical insulating shields 5 open at their lower ends. The movable socket contacts 6 connected to the breaker contacts move with the breaker as a unit within the shields 5 to engage and disengage the stationary con tacts 4. The switchgear so far described is conventional in'.;that the breaker when elevated is connected to its corresponding busses and feeders through the socket contacts 6 and the coacting stationary'cont'acts 4 as shown in Fig. 2, the reverse operation taking place when the breaker unit is lowered to disconnecting position, it of course-being understood that suitable interlocking means are provided for insuring opening or closing of the main breaker, as the case may be, prior to the disconnecting or connecting movement.

a For the purpose of normally venting the gas formed in an individual breaker housing provide a gas exhaust conduit 7 having a valve structure 8 for controlling the conncction with the interior of the breaker housing 1. The opposite ends ofthe exhaust conduit 7 of a single unit are suitably connected to the corresponding ends of the exhaust conduits of adjacent units so that with a plurality of breaker units in position the common exhaust conduit extends parallel to and above the row of breakers. Referring to an individual unit, the exhaust connection includes a pipe 9, forming a chamber 9', which is suitably mounted on the top of the breaker housing and aligned with respcct to the valve structure 8 by the flanged connection 10. The chamber 9 is filled with quartz pebbles 11, or the like, for cooling the gases from the breaker and for separating oil articles therefrom so that oil is not ejected rom the breaker during the disturbance in the oil body caused by interruption of the circuit. The upper portion of the chamber 9' is provided with a cap member 12 having a central opening 13 for .venting the gas from the chamber 9'.

The valve structure 8 for controlling the connection between the exhaust conduit 7 and the chamber 9' comprises a T-shaped housing 14 suitably connected as by threaded engagement in the exhaust conduit and provided with a valve member 15 coacting with a cylindrical member 16 comprising both a valve seat and an extension of the valve housing 14. The valve 15 may be of simple construction, comprising a disk member of suitable material forming the valve proper and a plurality of legs or studs 17 secured thereto and extendingbelow the extension 16 so as to be engaged at their lower ends by the upper surface of the cap 12 when the breaker unit is elevated to operative position. In the present instance the valve is provided with three depending legs circumferentially arranged and equally spaced so as to engage the cap 12 at points spaced from the opening 13.

In the'position illustrated in Fig. 3 the valve 15 is closed so that gas within the exhaust conduit 7 cannot escape into the station, the separating chamber 9 being shown in its position just prior to opening of the valve. The operative position is illustrated in Fig. 4 showing the cap 12 of the separating chamber 9 abutting the extension 16 of the valve housing and in engagement with the valve legs 17 so as to maintain the valve 15 elevated with respect to its seat. Accordingly, the chamber 9 is placed in direct communication with the exhaust conduit 7 through the opening 13 and aligned extension 16 when the circuit breaker 1 is elevated to its operative position. When the circuit breaker is lowered the valve 15 falls by its own weight onto its seat in the closed position illustrated in Fig. 3 so that the conduit is eil'ectively sealed off when the breaker at that point is in the disconnected position.

If desired, a suitable resilient gasket may be interposed between the cap 12 and the extension 16' so that a tight joint is provided between these members. The connection between the breakcr housing and the valve structure may of course assume various forms and is not limited to a separating and cooling chamber as specifically illustrated and described.

It shall be understood that my invention is not limited to specific details of construction and arrangement thereof herein illustrated, and that changes and nmditications may occur to one skilled in the ar pvithout departing from the spirit of my wvcntion.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. Electrical switch gear including a plurality of circuit breaker housings an an exhaust conduit common to said housings for venting gases therefrom, and means for connecting an individual breaker housing to said conduit comprising an exhaust connection'communicating with the interior of said housing and a valve disposed in said conduit for controlling the flow of gas, said valve being actuated to its open position by bodily movement of said housing to operatlve position whereby said exhaust connection 15 in direct communication with said exhaust conduit.

2. Electrical switch gear including a plurality of circuit breaker housings and an exhaust conduit common to said housings for venting gas therefrom, and means for placing the interior of an individual housing in direct communication with said conduit comprising a valve mounted within said conduit, and means in communication with the interior of said housing operative to effect opening of said valve in response to movement of said switch housing into operative position with respect to said conduit.

3. Gas venting structure for a plurality of circuit breaker housings comprising an exhaust conduit common to said housings and a valve for controlling the connection between an individual housing and said conduit, said valve closing said connection when the switch housing is in inoperative position and provided with means coacting with said housing for causing opening of the valve to place the interior ofsaid housing in direct communication with said conduit when said housing is in operative poistion.

4. Gas venting structure for a plurality of circuit breaker housings of the type adapted to be bodily elevated to operative osltion comprising an exhaust conduit isposed above and common to said housings for venting gas therefrom and a valve for each connection between a housing and said conduit mounted in said conduit, said housin being provided with means for enga ing an open ing said valve and placing t e interior of sa d housing in direct communication with said conduit when the housing is in its'elev'ated operative position.

5. Gas venting structure for a plurality of circuit breaker housings comprising an exhaust conduit common to said housings and having individual connections therefor, each of said connections comprising a valve housing, and a valve mounted therein, said valve being provided with means coacting with the corresponding breaker housing arranged so that movement of said housing to operative position with respect to said exhaust conduit causes opening of said valve and places the interior of said breaker in communication with said conduit, said valve returning to closed position to seal off said conduit in response to movement of said breaker housing to inoperative position.

6. Gas venting structure for a circuit breaker housing movable to an operative and an inoperative position comprising an exhaust conduit having a connection for communication with the interior of said housing, and a valve for controlling said connection in accordance with the position of said housing, said valve being provided with means engaged by a portion of said housing for causing openin of the valve when said housing is moved to its operative position in communication with said conduit, said valve returning to closed position in response to movement of said housing to inoperative position for closing said connection.

7. Gas venting structure for a circuit breaker housing movable to an operative and an inoperative position comprising an exhaust conduit provided with a connection for said housing, a valve for controlling communication between said conduit and the interior of said breaker, said valve being provided with legs extending beyond said connection, and an exhaust pipe mounted on said housing and in communication with the interior thereof havin a-portion in alinement with said connection ada ted to engage said valve legs and actuate sai valve to open position when the housing is moved to its operative position, said valve returning to its closed position when said housing is moved into its inopeartive position.

8. Gas venting structure for metal clad switch gear of the elevated type including a plurality of individually movable circuit reaker housings arranged in a row and an exhaust conduit extendingabove said housings in the same direction, and means for providing individual connections between engaging said valve and moving it to open position when said housing is elevated to operative position placing said chamber in communication with said connection.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of September, 1930. CHARLES H. HILL. 

